Valentines Day

So it has been a while, I know. Life has been very hectic but I felt it only fit to restart this blog on the Eve of Valentines Day. Since Jane is the Queen of all Romance. O.K I have a little bit of a confession...I havn't been reading Mansfield Park. Before I started reading Mansfield Park I was reading another book which I lost so I started Mansfield. Well, the other day I found it! So I felt it was only me duty as a reader to finish what I had started. The book is North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. It is really good! I highly recommend it. It is very pride and prejudice and it was written in 1860. It is about a girl named Margaret Hale, she is around my age. Her father a minister decides that he can no longer work for the church so they leave the countryside and go to Northern England to a mill town. There she meets John Thornton, a mill owner who has worked hard for his station. Of course, they meet and dont like each other and then they fall for each other. Again very pride and prejudice. The writing is really good and their are some social issues as well. Margaret befriends a young girl named Bessy who is deathly ill and Margaret becomes involved in social concerns.

"'Oh mamma, mamma! How am I to dress up in my finery, and go off and away to smart parties, after the sorrow I have seen to-day?' exclaimed Margaret"

I think it is great that this book has a strong ,independent, female and was written in a time when females were not considered strong and independent. Also, it was made into a mini-series for BBC. I looked at the reviews on IMDB and it got a 9/10. So if you just want to watch the miniseries I bet it will be fantastic as well. I really hope to finish this soon so that I can get back to Mansfield Park. Sorry for the detour!

Happy Reading

Jessica

Just a Question

I was thinking about this earlier. If you could be in any time period in the history of time what would you be in? Where? and of course why?

Happy Reading!

Jessica

Everyone's Blogs!

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Quote from Mansfield Park

"I can never be important to any one."

"What is to prevent you?"

"Everything--my situation--my foolishness and awkwardness."

"As to your foolishness and awkwardness, my dear Fanny, believe me, you never have a shadow of either, but in using the words so improperly. There is no reason in the world why you should not be important where you are known. You have good sense, and a sweet temper, and I am sure you have a grateful heart, that could never receive kindness without wishing to return it. I do not know any better qualifications for a friend and companion."

~Conversation between Fanny and Edmund in Mansfield Park

Have you ever been in a new place and nothing goes your way and you just wish one person would be nice to you? That is exactly what happens to Fanny. And Edmund her cousin says the most wonderful things to her. Because I do not know about you but I feel completely awkward about 70% of the time. And if just one of those times I had an Edmund by my side telling me how fantastic I was... wow life would be good. I am really tempted to take Fanny's name out of this quote and putting my name instead and hanging it on my mirror. Ya that is how much I love this quote! Its quirky of me I know. But its kind of like Jane is talking to us 200 years ago saying that everyone is good and deserves kindness and to not fret about the future. That girls 200 years ago still had similar troubles to what we are facing to day. An awkward unfriendly situation today is still the same as it would be in 1800. Except we look different, speak different, and listen to different things and yet the subject or over all purpose is the same. Jane's stuff goes on for ages.

Happy reading!

Jessica

Why am I doing this?

It is not just about her stories that I love but the time period they are set in. I have always had this desire to be able to wear one of those big wonderful dresses with a corset and go to a ball. The pretty fabrics with lace and brooches. Draped over my body and swaying when I walk. The hair intricately put up, with pearls and curls. Yes I know, probably never going to happen but a girl can dream cant she? So to remedy the inability to live like they did I read and lose myself in the books.

Look at the hair and the dresses!

These are the five different stances for dancing

The bow on the back is amazing

Happy Reading!

Jessica

New characters have joined us at Mansfield Park! It is the Crawfords. Henry and Mary they are brother and sister and I believe that brother will prove to be a love interest for Fanny. I haven't talked about Fanny yet. She is the heroin of Jane's tale. She comes to live with her Aunt and Uncle since her mother has so many children and needs help. It comes to light that Fanny's mother married "beneath" her status and that is why her Aunt Norris is so snobbish to her. On the other end of the spectrum is the Bertrams. The other sister married above her status. These are the people whom Fanny is living with. The Bertrams have 4 children. Tom the oldest who is the generic playboy. Edmund is the youngest son and he is so sweet to Fanny he helps her and makes her feel at home. And then the two girls who are so shallow and generic victorian girls I always get them confused. One of the girls is about to marry a wealthy guy who is actually an idiot but because he has money the family does not care. Wanna guess how this relationship will end up?

Happy reading!

Jessica

First Post Ever

I love Jane Austen. First thing I ever write on a blog and that is it. Jane Austen has inspired me helped me and feels like a friend. I refer to her as Jane, that is how close I feel to her. My favorite thing about Jane is her wonderful satire. The people in her novels can be completely ridiculous and yet I can picture them perfectly, I actually know a few.

So this blog is about anything Jane Austen. I might post letters she wrote and then show how it relates back to me since it has been around 200 years, and if you want to send me something how it relates back to YOU feel free too. Or talk about the book I am reading which is written by Jane. I have already read Pride and Prejudice along with Northanger Abbey. I would just like to say the movie Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightly and Matthew McFaden is amazing! I know that this blog is mostly about books however, BBC and others have made great mini-series and movies on the books and they usually are phenomenal. I have a tradition. I do not watch the movie until I have read the book. This sometimes can be annoying like I have wanted to watch Mansfield park from 1999 so badly

But I have held off. Amazing of me I know. But in my experience reading it first is always better. Thankfully I got Mansfield Park along with all of the Jane Austen books I am missing for Christmas! I am on page 30 and its really good.

Happy Reading !

Jessica